Tiger Ragtime by Catrin Collier Read Free Book Online

colliery slag. One boy bigger and heavier than the other had used his superior strength to beat the younger boy. And that younger boy had been him.
    Judy was singing ‘West End Blues’ and the man was watching every move she made. Harry shuddered, suddenly and inexplicably afraid – not for himself but for Judy. He caught Mary’s hand and led her away from the dancers. The man saw him, nodded and strolled off. But by the time Harry reached the corner of Loudoun Square there was no sign of him.
    ‘Are you sure I can’t persuade you and Mary to stay the night, Harry?’ Edyth coaxed. The sun had sunk low over the rooftops of the imposing Victorian houses in the square but the advent of evening hadn’t interrupted the music or dancing, only brought out hoarded bottles of whisky and brandy that the men were dispensing to make the tea their wives were still pouring ‘Irish’ and ‘French’. ‘It’s tempting, sis, but we have to get back to the farm.’
    Harry took the sleeping baby from Mary.
    ‘I’ve a light supper all ready in my larder. And although it will be a bit of a squash I can put you all up,’ Edyth offered.
    ‘It’s good of you, Edie, but we’ll stay another time. Ruth is exhausted. If we’re lucky she’ll bypass the grumpy stage and go to sleep on the train. David and Mary have the farm and dairy to run and I have work waiting in my office at home.’ Harry peered at his wrist watch. ‘As it is, it’s going to take us at least two hours and probably longer to get home.’ He kissed his sister’s cheek. ‘But thank you for the invitation.’
    ‘I’ve found a taxi. It’s waiting for us on the corner.’ David joined them.
    ‘See you soon, Mary.’ Edyth hugged her sister-in-law dropped a finger kiss on the forehead of the baby sleeping in Harry’s arms, then she kissed Ruth and Mary’s sister, Martha. Harry’s two young brother-in-laws had disappeared, but they always did when the women started kissing.
    ‘David, see you soon.’ Edyth held out her hand, then, on impulse, kissed his cheek.
    ‘You will,’ he answered with conviction.
    Edyth walked with them to the taxi. Harry embraced her again before taking the front seat. David helped his sisters, brothers and the children into the back before climbing in and lifting Martha on to his knees.
    ‘I’m too big to sit on your lap,’ she complained irritably.
    ‘Then you’ll have to run behind,’ he joked.
    ‘Everyone in?’ Harry pushed the window open, looked behind him and checked. ‘Good. Bye, Edie; bye, Judy.’
    Edyth and Judy linked arms and stood side by side, waving them off and blowing kisses. David looked back until the driver turned the corner into Bute Street.
    David shifted Martha on to one knee, sat back and stared out of the window at the ornate three-and four storey buildings that housed banks, hotels and enormous well-stocked shops, so different from the corner shops in the small Swansea Valley villages that he was used to.
    Then he saw them – and wondered why he hadn’t spotted them on the taxi drive into the Bay. THE CHINESE SEAMAN’S HOME – JOHN CORY SAILORS’ AND SOLDIERS’ REST – THE SEAMAN’S INSTITUTE – lodging house after lodging house.
    He’d been a fool. Instead of waiting for Edyth to notice him, he should have followed her to Tiger Bay. There was no way she would ever live on the farm, not with her baker’s shop to run. But if he moved here and took a job as a seaman …
    He knew nothing about ships but sailing couldn’t be any more difficult than farming – could it? And in between sailings he’d be able to spend whole days ashore. Days in which he could see Edyth. Maybe she’d even allow him to help out in her bakery. And once they spent time together he knew she would fall in love with him. He just knew it.

Chapter Three
    ‘I wasn’t sure what to expect from the carnival but it was fun. I enjoyed it – and so did Harry, Mary, and the children. It was good to see